


Blueprint

by down



Category: Magic Knight Rayearth
Genre: Canon - Manga, Community: trope_bingo, F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-08 14:11:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16430930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/down/pseuds/down
Summary: "I just - I wanted to ask your opinion on the upcoming vote?""I'm not sure why you want my opinion. I'm the only member of the guild who won't be voting, outside of the candidates."Atrai shifted under Clef's gaze. "Being an ex-post holder doesn't exclude you from voting on the new holder.""No, but I'm not allowed to vote for mypartnerto take a job I previously held."





	Blueprint

**Author's Note:**

> For trope_bingo: future fic. 
> 
> Thanks to my wife for typing up my nonsense fics while I try to get a blackout just because. I can. Which means I'm writing all these by hand, she's interpreting my terrible writing and getting it all onto the computer, because she is wonderful~ <3
> 
> My general headcanon for Umi is that, if she ends up living in Cephiro, this is where she ends up. Whether or not she's in a relationship with Clef.

"Guru - uh, Master Clef?" 

Clef halted on his way out of the Guildhall's main meeting room, raising one amused eyebrow at the woman who had hailed him. 

Atrai flushed, but shrugged. "It's going to take a little getting used to, sorry," she said. "I just - I wanted to ask your opinion on the upcoming vote?"

"I'm not sure why you want my opinion. I'm the only member of the guild who won't be voting, outside of the candidates."

Atrai shifted under his gaze. "Being an ex-post holder doesn't exclude you from voting on the new holder."

"No, but I'm not allowed to vote for my _partner_ to take a job I previously held."

"So - you would vote for her, then?"

That, Clef was certain, was the point of this fishing expedition. "It certainly wouldn't be conducive to domestic harmony if I voted _against_ Umi," he pointed out, with no little amusement at the flush that statement warranted.

Atrai waved her hands, a little, sighed, then pushed on anyway. "It's just - do you really think she's qualified? I know she's been acknowledged as Iru, and into a mastery, it's just - such an accelerated training course. And she hasn't even grown up knowing about magic at all, to hear her stories! Do you really think she's ready to take on the whole Guild?"

"If I didn't, I would have told her so when she put herself forward," Clef said, wry. "I think the whole of Cephiro would have heard the ensuing arguments if that had happened. No - I know, you have a serious point. I'm not making light of it, but I _am_ biased and I'm not going to pretend otherwise. I believe Umi is capable of more than just being Guru - I believe she is able to do it _well_. She may only have a few decades experience, but she's had those decades being closer to the current postholder than anyone else. It doesn't make here more qualified than those who have grown up with the knowledge of the Guild from their earliest childhood, but I do think it will have balanced out any deficiencies in knowledge - she knows as well as anyone does what the post entails."

Looking thoughtful instead of worried, Atrai started to nod her head. "That's a good point."

"Thank you," Clef's voice stayed dry. "As for her not being from Cephiro… I think it may prove a real asset to the Guild, to have someone who can see things afresh, who had a different background. It's always been a slow business, introducing any changes to the Guild, because I always had people asking how I could be certain it would work. Umi has references that I could never have known. And it is worth remembering that the Guild will not be making that decision."

Atrai's head shot up. "The vote-"

"The vote proves the Guild's _suggestion_. Cephiro will be the one who decides yes or no," Clef pointed out, firmly. "She would not bestow her grace on one unready or unworthy to carry it. If the candidate voted for doesn't suit her, she will chose another, and the Guild has little choice but to ratify them."

"That doesn't _really_ happen, does it? I mean, we all know the theory, but -"

"It does, and it has," Clef assured her, and felt himself start to grin. "After all, my training had been accelerated, and _I_ was very young, and hasty, and outspoken. It didn't surprise anyone that I wasn't the Guild's choice. But Cephiro had other ideas." He was met with a bewildered stare, and his lips twitched, but he swallowed his laugh down. "I assure you, Umi is a better candidate than I ever was. And she would have access to some expert advice."

The admission that he had never been voted in stalled the conversation for several long moments, before Atrai rallied. "You wouldn't - that is, I mean… some people are wondering if this would just be you working through the girl, to keep your post? If you're planning to advise her…"

"If I wanted to keep the post, I'd still be Guru. It's not like anyone _asked_ me to resign." He took a deep breath, and pushed down on the note of anger. "I'm not planning on advising Umi, should she get the job - but if she asks, I will be able to give her advice. There is a difference - I would be directed by her, she wouldn't be a - a puppet I was controlling." He couldn't help frowning at the thought. "Honestly, can you really imagine anyone trying to control _Ryuuzaki Umi_? Even now, let alone with the strength of the Guru's connection to Cephiro in her hands! I can't think of a more nonsensical idea, to be honest. Umi is one of the strongest-willed people I know - that's why she's strong enough to be Guru. Now if you've run out of questions, please excuse me. I'm running late."

He waved off the stuttered apologies and didn't - quite - storm out of the room. Umi was waiting a little way down the corridor, flopped in one of the window seats, a book open in her lap. Leaning into press a quick kiss to her forehead, Clef glanced down at the book, and grinned - it was one of the early guild chronicles.

"Are you reading that for tips, or just to look like you're serious about this as we all walk out?" he asked, as she grinned up at him and waved a hand to banish it into the gem on her bracelet.

"A bit of both. I like multitasking. I see you got held up - were you persuading Atrai to vote for me, or warning her against it?"

Pulling a face, Clef took the hand she held out and let her pull herself up. She didn't need his help - she never did - but she liked pulling herself into his space, and cheerily claiming a kiss from him.

"I was being asked if I was just setting you up as Guru so I could keep doing it through you. Why I _would_ , I have no idea! I… may not have won you a vote, though. Sorry."

"It's not your job to campaign for me," Umi said, waving a hand. "But, really? Someone thinks I pay any attention to what you tell me to do? …I can see why you _might_ do it, though."

"Please, enlighten me," he muttered, as they started to head out together, Umi wrapping their fingers together.

"So you didn't have to go to all the irritating meetings, Guild or Council You'd just send me, instead."

Clef blinked slowly, then started to laugh, irritation falling away as fast as it had come. "Okay. For that, it might have been worth it - I still don't think you'd _do_ it, though!"

"Of course I wouldn't do it!" Umi retorted. "And you're all set on retiring, so it's not like it matters anyway. But come on, if we hurry we can pick Fuu up from the courts and head over to Hikaru's together. Her session's meant to be finished about now."

"Only you could decide we needed a new home in the middle of applying for a new job," Clef told her, but there was no heat behind the words. In truth he understood why, at the moment she was trying to rededicate herself to Cephiro, she wanted a place to live which was more like the home she'd grown up in - to help remind herself of her roots. Hikaru and Fuu had entered into the project with enthusiasm - Clef was pretty sure he'd bee making more than one new home by the end of this - and he had to admit, the idea appealed. After finally retiring, after finally feeling he _could_ retire, and Umi coming into her own was admittedly a part of that, a move felt appropriate as he finally got to focus on other things. 

Whether or not Umi secured the post. He was pretty certain she was going to get it, with or without the Guild's vote, but he wasn't telling her that. If she stopped working so hard to be ready for it, Cephiro's approval might fade.

But he was looking forward to her accession with a great deal of eagerness. He was ready to follow her wherever she decided to take the Guild going forwards.

For now, he followed her to meet her friends to pour over architecture books that he couldn't read, but he could admire the pictures within as they came up with a new blueprint for the future.


End file.
